First/Second Flatirons Trail

“It’s the trail that climbs up between the First and Second Flatirons,” he replied. The four Flatirons are the very symbol of Boulder.

That was enough to get me there today. I had seen the trail on maps, but assumed that it was only for rock climbers.

The trail does climb steeply from Chautauqua Park for 1,450 feet to the saddle between the First and Second Flatiron. The climb took me four hours this morning, although it was only a 3 mile round trip.
At the start of the hike the trail runs through fields of flowers. Ahead are the Flatirons. We count the Flatirons from north to south, so the First Flatiron is in the one at the right. My goal was the saddle between the First and Second Flatirons.

Boulder's Flatirons

The further I hiked the steeper the trail became. Half-way up the trail crossed this boulder field. Down below is the trail I came up through the flower field and beyond that the well-named city of Boulder:

Do You Wonder Why We Call Them "The Rockies?"

The peak of the Second Flatiron is, surprisingly, not at all flat:

The Peak of the Second Flatiron

At the saddle I met Steve from Golden. He asked me as a favor to take his photo. I asked him to return the favor, and he did. Here I am at the saddle with the peak of the First Flatiron in the background:

At the Saddle Between the First and Second Flatirons

The saddle was my destination today. I left climbing the Flatirons themselves to people who enjoy putting their lives in danger.

@Fran
That is entirely possible, but since there are other, much easier, nearby routes over the mountains to the general area of the Park where he lives, it would not necessarily be the route that I would think of.